Birds

Swallows, martins, phoebes and swifts eat the most flies. How many they really take, why the 2,000 mosquito claim is false, and how to attract them to your yard.

The house finch symbolizes joy, resilience and contentment. What red and brown finches mean, the biblical context, and the real survival story behind the species.

A group of hawks is called a kettle when circling on a thermal. What a thermal is, how kettles of thousands form during migration, and why hawks otherwise never flock.

A group of hummingbirds is called a charm. Where the word came from, why hummingbirds never actually flock, and what it means when you suddenly see a lot of them.

A male duck is called a drake. Where the word came from, how to tell drakes from hens even during the summer eclipse molt, and whether ducks really mate for life.

A group of eagles is called a convocation, or a kettle when circling. Where the terms came from, why eagles are territorial, and where thousands really do gather.

A group of vultures is called a kettle in flight, a committee perched and a wake at a carcass. Where each term came from, and why circling vultures are not waiting for anything to die.

A group of penguins is called a waddle on land and a raft in water. Why the embarrassment claim is an internet myth, what a creche is, and how emperor huddles work.

A group of owls is called a parliament, a term popularized by C.S. Lewis. Why owls almost never form groups, which species do roost together, and where the wisdom reputation came from.

A group of geese is called a gaggle on the ground and a skein in flight. Where gaggle came from, why geese fly in a V, and what ganders and goslings are called.